Understanding Challenges of Environment and Human Dimension means to integrate all actors in an interdisciplinary academic field for finding common solutions of environmental problems. We invite researchers from the fields of Environment, Biodiversity & Landscape Diversity and Social Sciences.
a. Landscape: linking Nature and Environmental Practices
This topic is an excellent support in developing the idea of multi-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary approach of the landscape and of the environment where we live. During the symposium we will track the following issues: landscape science and governance, transfer from theory to practice, with a focus on environmental problems.
b. Recent environmental changes
The processes and phenomena characterizing recent environmental changes are extremely diverse, but the common element putting supplementary pressure and individualizing them in relation to the natural evolution of the planet is represented by the human society, here with a double role: determining factor and affected element. Among the recent environmental changes with a global projection are climate changes, reduction of forest surfaces, desertification, loss of biodiversity, changes in land uses, degradation of water bodies, air pollution, soil contamination, deficient management of wastes and hazardous substances, and other aspects connected to the modification of natural systems as a result of human activities.
c. Urban ecology. With the increasing percent of population living in urban environments, so does the importance of achieving sustainable and resilient cities. Faced with the challenge of ensuring a good quality of life, city managers and policy makers are required to balance between ecologic, economic and social characteristics. Urban ecology therefore is a field increasing in importance, as it can present both in-depth analysis of the past and present urban settings, but also project future development and model a wide range of scenarios. Geography plays an important role, providing the tools needed for the mapping the distribution of various phenomena and the framework for the integrative analysis needed in urban ecology. Proposed topics included among others: ecosystem services in urban areas, territorial and temporal evolution of cities, quality of life and the environment, the use of nature-based solutions, participatory planning and governance.